🔗 Share this article

2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer game identity.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Face the competition with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but players can look forward to further news as development progresses.